August 20, 2003 - Personal Web Site: Musician Rich Hopkins joined the Peace Corps as a crop extension agent who was sent to work in rural Paraguay

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Paraguay: Peace Corps Paraguay: The Peace Corps in Paraguay: August 20, 2003 - Personal Web Site: Musician Rich Hopkins joined the Peace Corps as a crop extension agent who was sent to work in rural Paraguay

By Admin1 (admin) on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 8:53 am: Edit Post

Musician Rich Hopkins joined the Peace Corps as a crop extension agent who was sent to work in rural Paraguay



Musician Rich Hopkins joined the Peace Corps as a crop extension agent who was sent to work in rural Paraguay

rich hopkins & luminarios

artist homepage


Concepcion Romero / special guest at the Luminarios shows

This tour in Nov. willbe very special for many reasons. First of all, I am
inviting my very good friend from Paraguay, Concepcion Romero, to be our special guest at the Luminarios shows in Germany and Austria and anywhere else they invite us to play. The reason I have invited Concepcion to play and sing with us because, back in 1981, I joined the Peace Corps as a crop extension agent who was sent to work in rural Paraguay. This was a dream come true for me, a young and very naive 22 year old college graduate. The most important thing that happened to me was that I was sent to Paraguay where I would learn to speak spanish and guarani, drink terere and learn to write music and would end up playing allot of guitar with Concepcion..who became my teacher and mentor....not just in music, but as a true friend who shared his mind and opinions openly with me. You see, back in 1981, paraguay was still being ruled by a dictator, Gen. Alfredo Stroessner....he was feared and respected but Paraguayans had to be careful of what they said about whom..ya dig? Anyway, Concepcion is a 60 year old farmer,
preacher, storyteller, he teaches first aid to the folks in his area, Calle
8.000 which is a very rural area dominated by farmers who grow tobacco, cotton, sugar cane, bananas and other assorted fruits like oranges, tangerines etc....really, this place is paradise and I was so fortunate to call Calle 8.000 my home for 2 years...so, since I am fortunate enough to be recording and touring, it is my pleasure to be able to invite Sr. Concepcion Romero to be my special guest in Germany this Nov. He plays acoustic guitar and sings so beautifully...it won't matter if you don't understand the words..just open your mind and let his voice soothe you..he is a gem!

Homeless people - Aid

Also, I am going to personally donate $500.00 of my recording royalties
from Blue Rose Records to 2 homeless organizations, one in Dresden and the other here in Tucson, Arizona. I am following up on the idea and my song on "DEVOLVER", Tender Mercies which is a song about the homeless and is an issue I care very much about and I want to contribute in any way I can.
So, besides talking about the homeless situation here in the USA and in
Germany, I will be asking for a small donation from everyone each night we play..1 dm or 2 dm's, what ever anybody feels like donating...anyway, at the end of the tour, I will split all the monies collected between the 2
Homeless Agencies, equally. The monies collected each nite will be
presented as donations from the Friends of the Luminarios in Germany and wherever else we play. Please join me in the battle to help the less
fortunate.

Luminarios/ new drummer and guitarist/singer

Last but not least, I am proud to announce that the Luminarios will have a new drummer on our tour, who by the way is a very fine fellow and I am playing with in the sand Rubies, so I know this dude is a great
drummer...he is Ernesto Mendoza..call him TIO..he lives that name! Also, I will have my very good friend and long time alumnus, Micheal Davis...God
Bless this man! Last but not least, from El Paso, Texas, comes Ken Andree who will play some guitar and back me up on the vocals...this boy can sing!
And !!!! Our very dear friend from Rostock, Germany, tour manager, baby sitter and spiritiual guru...WE welcome back Thomas Lingstaedt. I wouldn't even think of not touring unless Thomas was gonna be with us...we love him,yes we do!

Bonuns CD "Tinitus"

We also will have a bonus cd for sale, TINITUS, that will only be sold at
our show and through Blue Rose's mail order catalogue. This 16 song cd is basically what you'd expect from me...except that it has about 75% more distorted/psyched out guitar solos etc. really folks, this album is
basically the opposite of LUCKY STARS......SOOO, please join us LUMINARIOS this NOV.2001 and let's have the best time we have ever had..we all deserve it!!!! I do thank you and really look forward to seeing all of you fine folks!!
Love and huggggie, Rich Issac Hopkins



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Story Source: Personal Web Site

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Paraguay; Music

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